Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T08:18:41.972Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

39 - Volcanoes

from SECTION B - ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2011

Kristi L. Koenig
Affiliation:
University of California, Irvine
Carl H. Schultz
Affiliation:
University of California, Irvine
Get access

Summary

OVERVIEW

Introduction

An understanding of how people are killed and injured in volcanic eruptions is essential for advancing disaster mitigation measures as well as for managing casualties in actual events (Table 39.1). The main aim of disaster medicine is the prevention of direct human deaths and injuries and reducing economic losses that can indirectly affect health through increasing poverty and inequality. A surprisingly large number of lethal phenomena are associated with eruptions, and health hazards can arise even when volcanoes are in a state of apparent repose. Compared with other types of disasters such as floods, wind storms, and earthquakes, volcanic eruptions occur much less frequently. In recent decades there were on average only two–four events worldwide per year that involved fatalities and people living near an active volcano have only a low statistical risk of a serious event happening in their lifetimes.

The reactivation of a volcano in a densely populated area should trigger a state of emergency, like a warning for an approaching hurricane or storm surge. Forecasting an eruption in a state of unrest requires a team of experienced volcanologists equipped with the latest monitoring technology who can make a rapid appraisal based on what is known about the particular volcano and by drawing analogies from similar volcanoes and how they behave. Although most of these potential crises do not lead to a major eruption and states of unrest can remain in place for years, the uncertainty of forecasting eruptive behavior and the possibility that a serious eruption can happen with little to no warning means that evacuation decisions may have to be made very quickly.

Type
Chapter
Information
Koenig and Schultz's Disaster Medicine
Comprehensive Principles and Practices
, pp. 632 - 642
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baxter, PJ. Medical effects of volcanoes. 1. Main causes of death and injury. Bull Volcanol. 1990;52:532–544.Google Scholar
Newhall, CG, Punongbayan, RS. The narrow margin of successful volcanic risk mitigation. In: Scarpa, R, Tilling, RI, eds. Monitoring and Mitigation of Volcano Hazards. Berlin: Springer; 1996;809–838.
Witham, CS. Volcanic disasters and incidents: a new database. J Volcanol Geotherm Res. 2005;148:191–233.Google Scholar
Newhall, CG. Mount St. Helens, master teacher. Science. 2000;288:1181–1183.Google Scholar
Voight, B. The management of volcanic emergencies: Nevado del Ruiz. In: Scarpa, R, Tilling, RI, eds. Monitoring and Mitigation of Volcano Hazards. Berlin: Springer; 1996:719–769.
Spence, RJS, Pomonis, A, Baxter, PJ, Coburn, AW, White, M, Dayrit, M. Building damage caused by the Mount Pinatubo eruption of June 15, 1991. In: Newhall, CG, Punongbayan, RS, eds. Fire and Mud: Eruptions and Lahars at Mount Pinatubo, Philippines. Seattle: University of Washington Press; 1996:1055–1061.
Schmincke, H-U. Volcanism. Berlin: Springer, 2004.
Oppenheimer, C, Francis, P. Volcanoes. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
Baxter, PJ, Boyle, R, Cole, P, Neri, A, Spence, R, Zuccaro, G. The impacts of pyroclastic surges on buildings at the eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat. Bull Volcanol. 2005;67:292–313.Google Scholar
Baxter, PJ, Neri, A, Todesco, M. Physical modeling and human survival in pyroclastic flows. Natural Haz. 1998;17:163–176.Google Scholar
Eisele, JW, O'Halloran, RL, Reay, DT, Lindhock, GR, Lewman, LV, Brady, WJ. Deaths during the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St Helens. N Engl J Med. 1981;305, 931–936.Google Scholar
Loughlin, SC, Baxter, PJ, Aspinall, WP, Darroux, B, Harford, CL, Miller, AD. Eyewitness accounts of the 25 June 1997 pyroclastic flows and surges at Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat, and implications for disaster mitigation. In: Druitt, TH, Kokelaar, BP, eds. The Eruption of Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, from 1995 to 1999. London: Geological Society; 2002:211–230.
Parshley, PF, Kiessling, PJ, Antonius, JA, Connell, RS, Miller, SH, Green, FHY. Pyroclastic flow injury. Mount St Helens. May 18, 1980. Am J Surg. 1982;143:565–568.Google Scholar
Arturson, G. The Los Alfaques disaster: a boiling-liquid, expanding vapour explosion. Burns. 1981;7:233–251.Google Scholar
Kulyapin, AV, Sakhautdinov, VG, Temerbutalov, VM, et al. Bashkiria train-gas pipeline disaster: a history of the joint ASSR/USA collaboration. Burns. 1990;16:339–342.Google Scholar
Baxter, PJ, Gresham, A. Deaths and injuries in the eruption of Galeras volcano, Colombia, 14 January 1993. J Volcanol Geotherm Res. 1997;77:325–338.Google Scholar
Morrisey, MM, Mastin, LG. Vulcanian eruptions. In: Sigurdsson, H, Houghton, BF, McNutt, SR, Rymer, H, Stix, J, eds. Encyclopedia of Volcanoes. San Diego: Academic Press; 2000:463–475.
Tilling, RI, Peterson, DW. Field observation of active lava in Hawaii: some practical considerations. In: Kilburn, CRJ, Luongo, G, eds. Active Lavas: Monitoring and Modeling. London: UCL Press; 1993:147–174.
Salama, P, Spiegel, P, Talley, L, Waldman, R. Lessons learned from complex emergencies over past decade. Lancet. 2004;364:1801–1813.Google Scholar
Baxter, P, Allard, P, Halbwachs, M, et al. Human health and vulnerability in the Nyiragongo volcano eruption and humanitarian crisis at Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Acta Vulcanolog. 2002–2003;14–15:109–114.Google Scholar
Komorowski, J-C, Tedesco, D, Kasareka, M, et al. The January 2002 flank eruption of Nyiragongo volcano (Democratic Republic of Congo): chronology, evidence for a tectonic rift trigger, and impact of lava flows on the city of Goma. Acta Vulcanolog. 2002–2003;14–15:27–62.Google Scholar
,Organización Panamericana dela Salud. Cronicas de Desastres. Erupción Volcánica en Colombia, Noviembre 13, 1985.
Patiño, JF, Castro, D, Valencia, A, Morales, P. Necrotizing soft tissue lesions after a volcanic cataclysm. World J Surg. 1991;15:240–247.Google Scholar
Hoblitt, RP, Walder, JS, Driedger, CL, Scott, KM, Pringle, PT, Vallance, JW. Volcano Hazards from Mount Rainier, Washington. Open File Report 98–428. Denver: U.S. Geological Survey; 1998.
Buist, AS, Bernstein, RS, eds. Health effects of volcanoes: an approach to evaluating the health effects of an environmental hazard. Am J Public Health Med. 1986;76 (Suppl):1–90.
Pomonis, A, Spence, R, Baxter, P. Risk assessment of residential buildings for an eruption of Furnas volcano, São Miguel, the Azores. J Volcanol Geotherm Res. 1999;92:107–131.Google Scholar
Horwell, CJ, Baxter, PJ. The respiratory health hazards of volcanic ash: a review for volcanic risk mitigation. Bull Volcanol. 2006;69:1–24.Google Scholar
Blong, RJ. Volcanic Hazards: a Sourcebook on the Effects of Eruptions. Sydney: Academic Press; 1984.
Allen, AG, Baxter, PJ, Uttley, CJ. Gas and particle emissions from Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat. Bull Volcanol. 2000;62:8–19.Google Scholar
Baxter, PJ, Baubron, J-C, Coutinho, R. Health hazards and disaster potential of ground gas emissions at Furnas volcano, Sao Miguel, Azores. J Volcanol Geotherm Res. 1999;92:95–106.Google Scholar
Carapezza, ML, Badalamenti, B, Cavarra, L, Scalzo, A. Gas hazard assessment in a densely inhabited area of Colli Albani Volcano (Cava dei Selci, Roma). J Volcanol Geotherm. Res. 2003;123:81–94.Google Scholar
Guern, F, Tazieff, H, Faivre Pierret, RX. An example of health hazard: people killed by gas during a phreatic eruption Dieng Plateau (Java), Indonesia, February 20th 1979. Bull Volcanol. 1982;45(2):153–156.Google Scholar
Baxter, PJ, Kapila, M, Mfonfu, D. Lake Nyos disaster, Cameroon, 1986: the medical effects of large scale emission of carbon dioxide? Br Med J. 1989;298:1437–1441.Google Scholar
Druitt, TH, Kokelaar, BP, eds. The Eruption of Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, from 1995 to 1999. London: Geological Society; 2002.
Rosi, M. Quantitative reconstruction of recent volcanic activity: a contribution to forecasting of future eruptions. In: Scarpa, R, Tilling, RI, eds. Monitoring and Mitigation of Volcano Hazards. Berlin: Springer; 1996:631–674.
Aspinall, WP, Woo, G, Voight, B, Baxter, PJ. Evidence-based volcanology: an application to eruption crises. J Volcanol Geotherm Res. 2003;128:273–285.Google Scholar
Dobran, F, Neri, A, Todesco, M. Assessing the pyroclastic flow hazard at Vesuvius. Nature. 1994;367:551–554.Google Scholar
Barberi, F, Macedonio, G, Pareschi, MT, Santacroce, R. Mapping the tephra fallout risk: an example from Vesuvius, Italy. Nature. 1990;344:142–144.Google Scholar
Spence, RJS, Kelman, I, Calogero, E, Toyos, G, Baxter, PJ, Komorowski, J-C. Modeling expected physical impacts and human casualties from explosive eruptions. Natural Haz Earth Syst Sci. 2005;5:1003–1015.Google Scholar
Spence, RJS, Kelman, I, Baxter, PJ, Zuccaro, G, Petrazzuoli, S. Residential building and occupant vulnerability to tephra fall. Natural Haz Earth Syst Sci. 2005;5:1–18.Google Scholar
Spence, RJ, Zuccaro, G, Petrazzuoli, S, Baxter, PJ. Resistance of buildings to pyroclastic flows: analytical and experimental studies and their application to Vesuvius. Natural Haz Rev. 2004;5(1).Google Scholar
Spence, R, Kelman, I, Brown, A, Toyos, G, Purser, D, Baxter, P. Residential building and occupant vulnerability to pyroclastic density currents in explosive eruptions. Natural Haz Earth Syst Sci. 2007;7:219–230.Google Scholar
Neri, A, Ongaro, TE, Menconi, G, et al. 4D simulation of explosive eruption dynamics at Vesuvius. Geophys Res Lett. 2007;34:L04309.Google Scholar
Sparks, RSJ, Aspinall, WP. Volcanic activity: frontiers and challenges in forecasting, prediction and risk assessment. In: The State of the Planet: Frontiers and Challenges in Geophysics. Geophysi Monograph 150, IUGG 2004;19:359–373.
Simkim, T, Siebert, S, Blong, R. Volcano fatalities – lessons from the historical record. Science. 2001;291:255.Google Scholar
Used with permission from Elsevier.
Used with permission from Elsevier.

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

  • Volcanoes
  • Edited by Kristi L. Koenig, University of California, Irvine, Carl H. Schultz, University of California, Irvine
  • Book: Koenig and Schultz's Disaster Medicine
  • Online publication: 05 August 2011
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511902482.041
Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Volcanoes
  • Edited by Kristi L. Koenig, University of California, Irvine, Carl H. Schultz, University of California, Irvine
  • Book: Koenig and Schultz's Disaster Medicine
  • Online publication: 05 August 2011
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511902482.041
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Volcanoes
  • Edited by Kristi L. Koenig, University of California, Irvine, Carl H. Schultz, University of California, Irvine
  • Book: Koenig and Schultz's Disaster Medicine
  • Online publication: 05 August 2011
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511902482.041
Available formats
×